1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for searching an electronic network, such as the Internet, for product information, and, more particularly, to a method and means by which a user can quickly do a product search through databases on a global network with a simple input that enables interactive communication with a server adapted to widely seek and provide the information sought.
2. Description of the Related Art
Global electronic and computer networks, such as the Internet, provide access to a tremendous amount of information relating to various companies and their products. It is difficult, however, for a user to investigate a particular product on a global computer network when the product is sold under more than one name, or when the user is not sure of the proper name of the product. Similarly, the user may not know who is a manufacturer or a local supplier of the product. It therefore can be quite a time-consuming and complex procedure to do an effective product search through all of the web sites and databases available that may contain pertinent information.
As the global computer networks, such as the Internet, are now capable of being accessed by various mobile devices in addition to landline based devices, searches that are complex and time-consuming are a deterrent to their use. These mobile devices include Internet telephones, Internet Portable Digital Assistants (PDA""s), and various other such Internet mobile devices. Many of these devices allow instant access to the Internet through wireless modems or other means, and some allow the collection of information and then the transfer of that information to landline based (desktop) computers for access to the Internet. The Palm VII(trademark) wireless PDA is an example of a current Internet capable wireless device; the Palm III-V(trademark) are examples of current PDA""s that can transfer information for later Internet access. Such mobile devices allow the users to have tremendous amounts of information available to them on a mobile basis.
In a different area of commerce, a system has been developed in the United States for product identification, primarily for use on an actual article, that is implemented with Uniform Product Codes (UPC""s). This UPC system is administered by a Uniform Code Council. A manufacturer who is interested in utilizing the UPC system registers with the Uniform Code Council and receives a unique manufacturer code. At present, approximately 300,000 manufacturers are registered with the Uniform Code Council. Once registered, the manufacturer assigns codes to each of its own products. The UPC of a product is a combination of the manufacturer""s code and a product code assigned by the manufacturer. To facilitate product identification, the UPC is encrypted as a barcode and placed on the product, where it is machine readable, such as by a scanner at a supermarket checkout counter, and used to digitally identify the product. Once the product is so identified, the digital barcode information read therefrom may be communicated to many different destinations for accounting and inventory purposes and to various databases for recording and archiving.
The UPC system has been adapted for use with computers and networks, such as the Internet, in various ways. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,210, to C. G. CALL, discloses a system involving the storing of a plurality of UPC""s in respective computers with web addresses (URLs) and storing cross-references of the UPC""s and URLs in another computer (URL) which can be accessed by further networked computers using the UPC""s to find the respective URLs. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,803, to B. J. CRAGUN ET AL, discloses the retrieval of a document by a client computer system using a scanned UPC to create a URL location in a first server, from UPC and customer data retrieved from a second server, which URL may be used to obtain the document from the first server. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,991, to M. E. SMALL, discloses an interactive product promotion system which enables the selection of coupons to be downloaded from the Internet, and then UPC""s placed thereon to be scanned to the Internet for rebates.
While the prior art is rife with search systems and techniques for interacting with computer networks, and particularly the Internet, to obtain and exchange information of all sorts, they all tend to be on a one-for-one or step-by-step basis.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an interactive system whereby an individual can quickly and easily obtain a supply of the available information about a selected search object, such as a product and/or its manufacturers, from a global computer network.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an interactive method and means that enable an individual to search a global computer network and easily obtain a supply of information regarding a selected product, based on a barcode related to the product.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an interactive system for searching a computer network whereby information regarding products and manufacturers can be quickly obtained, aggregated, and stored for use, based on a product""s UPC.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an interactive system for quickly and easily obtaining a supply of information about a selected product and/or its manufacturers or providers from a server using a barcode related to the product.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and means for determining the type of input relating to the search object entered into the interactive system and verifying its accuracy.
The above-stated objects are met by an interactive search system that is directed to interact primarily with global computer networks, particularly the Internet, using a product identifying barcode to rapidly and effectively obtain a supply of product-related information for presentation to a user. In accordance with the present invention, a suitable terminal, typically a desktop computer and modem connection, is used to access an implementing server containing a database of product and manufacturer or provider identifying codes, preferably UPC manufacturer codes. Information relating to a particular product and its manufacturer, is obtained with the product""s UPC which may be taken from a package or advertisement or pre-stored in the computer. The UPC can be entered into the computer through manual input numerically, or, alternatively, entered digitally through the use of software and a hand-held scanner adapted to read UPC barcode encryptions. The desktop computer and modem transmit the entire UPC to the implementing server, which reads the manufacturer""s code from the UPC and, using the UPC database therein, identifies the manufacturer. The server is programmed to then perform a search of the global computer network or databases contained in local server storage devices to locate sites relating to or operated by the manufacturer. Additionally, the server may search the global computer network on a product basis to locate other sites containing the UPC under search. To aid the server, and reduce search time, it is preferred but not required that the user identify,the general category of the product (auto, book, music or movie cassette, food, hardware, software, etc.) when the UPC is entered. Based on the manufacturer information, and/or the selection of product category, the implementing server is preferably programmed to initially search sites where a greater likelihood of uncovering a particular UPC exists in addition to searching the local server storage devices. Using xe2x80x9cparsingxe2x80x9d technology, the server may then xe2x80x9cpull outxe2x80x9d the product description, transmit it to and place it in the random-access memory (RAM) or storage of the desktop computer, and proceed to perform further searching relying on the product description to uncover relevant information. The server can accordingly quickly assemble a collection of product-related and manufacturer information in the RAM or storage of the desktop computer. The collection of assembled information is then available for a user""s consideration all at once at any time. Preferably, the assembled information will provide the user with the name of a source for purchasing the particular product, and, further, the server will automatically link the computer with the source""s site on the global computer network, or a prearranged site on the server, to permit direct ordering. As will readily be seen, the system of the invention permits an individual to avoid the time-consuming hassle of performing multiple xe2x80x9ckey wordxe2x80x9d searches on the global computer network to uncover the desired collection of product-specific information on a step-by-step basis.
In an enhancement of the system, a UPC can be input into a mobile device, e.g., a laptop computer or Portable Digital Assistant (PDA), and stored into the memory of the mobile device. To facilitate entering UPC""s, PDA""s have been developed which include a scanner for reading an encrypted barcode and software for deciphering and storing the encryption. These PDA""s can be used advantageously to provide an individual with a handy tool for collecting and generating a list of multiple UPC""s, i.e., a xe2x80x9cwish listxe2x80x9d of goods, while in conventional retail outlets. Once stored, the UPC can be transferred to a landline based computer which can access the implementing server to implement the search as described above. The UPC or list of UPC""s (xe2x80x9cWish listxe2x80x9d) can also be transferred to another user of the system as to share information on items of common interest or as a registry of items for others to purchase for the initial user. This will allow the second user to purchase any item in the list using various e-commerce services. The UPC""s can be transferred using any known transfer means, such as direct cable, infrared, bluetooth, etc.
In a further enhancement of the system utilizing a mobile device, the UPC can be input into a wireless portable computer, e.g., an Internet-enabled Portable Digital Assistant (PDA) or a wireless Internet or server accessible phone, and transmitted either directly or indirectly to the implementing server to obtain product information. The portable computer may be provided with software to interact through a wireless transmission path with the server and obtain the information as described above at a retail location. With this capability, a customer can investigate a product while he is present in a retail location and contemplating purchase of the product. For example, a user going to the local mall to go shopping sees various items that he would like to consider buying in the future or learning more about but does not want to purchase this day. The user enters the UPC number for the item (or a barcode number or other symbology if a UPC number is not available) and the user receives an immediate image of the item on his mobile device. If the user wants additional information on the item, he can xe2x80x9cclickxe2x80x9d on the image of the item and additional information including textual information, videos and photos pertaining to the item will be presented to the user. The user continues shopping in the mall and gathers additional items that he is interested in to create a xe2x80x9cwish listxe2x80x9d. The user now goes to his home or office and is able to share the information he has collected on the various items with any other interested party. The user can display these items on their mobile device, including on-demand increasing (scaling) the size of the images of the items and requesting from the mobile device additional information on the items (perhaps price comparisons or reviews). The user can also transfer all information on the mobile device to another mobile device or transfer the information to a landline based computer. In essence, the user has taken real items and effortlessly brought them into his mobile device and then into his home or office.
As another enhancement of the system, an additional database can be created and located in an individual""s desktop computer to maintain a library of UPC""s therein. For example, the UPC codes of various purchased products can be entered into the library. The library of UPC""s is then transmitted to the implementing server to allow for periodic monitoring of the global computer network to uncover relevant bulletins and/or notices. Thus, for instance, an individual who purchases a product can enter the UPC code into the desktop computer, have the UPC code transmitted to the server, and be automatically informed of any notices relating to the product (e.g., recalls or updates) or similar products. In a preferred embodiment, the server generates a hyperlink connection between the desktop computer and, by activation, the relevant site on the global computer network where the notice is posted. Such an additional database may also be stored in a wireless portable computer to enable a user to readily investigate a range of products while present in a retail location.
The implementing server can also be directly linked to certain sites on the global computer network. Accordingly, a product manufacturer can have its site linked to the server based on the UPC""s of products it manufactures so that upon entry of one or more of the relevant UPC""s, an individual will not only view information retrieved from the server""s database, but also have his/her computer connected to the linked site. Alternatively, a manufacturer may be permitted to set up a web page on the implementing server so that when a user enters the UPC of a particular product he/she will directly communicate with the local web page for the designated product.
It is to be understood that the use of UPC""s with the subject invention is convenient, in that the UPC system is presently in place and widely used, but it is not actually necessary for its implementation. Alternative product identification systems, e.g., the Intentional System of Book Numbers (ISBN), can also be used to initiate a search. Additionally, means may be provided for converting UPC""s to such other product identification systems to expand and facilitate product searching. As a further alternative, the administrator of the implementing server/database can create a numeric/alphanumeric identification system or code which may be in machine readable (barcode) format for connecting to other information stored therein. By creating such a system, not only products; but also services and businesses can be assigned identification numbers. Such identification numbers also can be conveniently used to communicate with designated web pages on the server or the global network.
Due to the numerous identification systems available for use with the interactive search system, a method is provided to determine which type of identification system is used and to verify the accuracy of the number string entered. During this verification process, extensive checks are performed on the number string entered so it can then be used by the implementing server to perform a search without producing errors. First, the number string is checked for blank spaces and any non-numeric characters; if any are found, the number string is reconciled without the spaces or characters into a composite numerical string. After the number string is reconciled, the string is checked to ensure the required number of digits are present. The number string is then verified to be a valid barcode by comparing it against its check sum digit. At this point, the system can determine whether the number string is a UPC, an ISBN number or other compatible identification system. Additionally, the user-entered product category will be compared to the number string. If the number is a valid barcode but not pertaining to one of the pre-defined identification systems, the user will be notified that the number string is a store generated internal barcode. Alternatively, if the category does not match the manufacturer""s industry, as determined by the manufacturer code portion of the UPC, the user will be alerted to a possible conflict. Once verified as a valid identification system number, the number string can be used by the implementing server to perform a search.
A further capability for facilitating network searching may be provided that enables a user to xe2x80x9cplug inxe2x80x9d to a graphical browser, such that by entering the category of product item to be searched followed by the UPC number in the URL entry line of the browser, the product search will be carried out directly without the user first having to go to a web site and then searching for the product information. Alternatively without a browser xe2x80x9cplug inxe2x80x9d, the user could just enter a specific URL web address into any graphical global network browser with the optional category and with a UPC or code number to let the implementing server institute the search.
The system may also be used in sales promotions by enabling a manufacturer to place its UPC, or a server-supplied identifying code, whether in machine readable form or not on a magazine or newspaper ad, and directing that the UPC or code be used to access the implementing server for further information. A business card or letterhead may be similarly bar-coded to facilitate contacting a company or its website or e-mail address through the server. Further, a magazine or periodical publisher may index the pages of a publication with such barcodes or use existing barcodes enabling a user to readily order copies of articles or pages from a website or the server by e-mail or even allow the user to enter a discussion group on the particular article or product.